by Venus G. Villanueva

Libacao, Aklan (14 August) -- As beneficiaries they all waited under the afternoon sun for their names to be called to receive their cash grants from no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), and they were not disappointed, as the President and her party arrived in Libacao 30 minutes ahead of schedule that fateful day of August 7.

And so the mothers, and occasionally, a father spotted in the crowd, received their cash grants under the program 30 minutes ahead of time during President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's first visit to Libacao, so they could perhaps go to the nearby public market to buy some of their household needs or go straight home - for those whose barangays are just hours of walk or jeepney or motocycle rides away.

However, for those whose barangays are already overlooking boundaries of other provinces in Panay, they had to trek mountainous and forested areas and cross the Aklan River for many times so it will take them two or three days to reach their homes.

This is how it is for Rowena Ladate, a 4Ps beneficiary from Alfonso VII, Libacao, a barangay already in the edges of Panay's provincial boundaries. She had to walk for days to reach Libacao's town proper to get her cash grant, but she was happy. When asked however of the significance of 4Ps in her life and her family, she cried.

"Mabahoe gid nga bulig kamon ro programa ngara Ma'am" (This program is a big help to us Ma'am), she said, wiping tears.

Rowena said she has four children, the youngest being a year old while the three others have ages ranging from 6 to 10. She is a Day Care Worker of her barangay receiving P1,000 per month. Her husband is a weekend abaca farmer, as he takes care of the baby during weekdays when Rowena has to work.

As a beneficiary, Rowena is set to get P500 per month under the program, and P300.00 each for her school age children, provided that they go to school regularly. If not, their benefits will be stopped.

For the first cash distribution, Rowena received P1,900.00 - P1,000 for the months of May and June for nutrition and health care, and P900.00 for her three children.

Another beneficiary in that crowd was Judy. At 29, Juvy Agustin is already a mother of 5, the youngest being 3 weeks old she left at home as she waited for PGMA's arrival and for the cash grants distribution. Her eldest child is 11 years old. When asked how the program could benefit her family, she also shed tears - because she said she never imagined that she would be one of the lucky beneficiaries of the program. Her husband, she said, has no permanent job, and the 4Ps will help them a lot.

The same sentiment was echoed by Minda Nobleza, another beneficiary with 7 children, the youngest being 1 year and nine months old. Teary-eyed, she said she will use part of the cash grants for her children's school things. She had nothing but gratitude for PGMA for coming up with this program so the likes of her and her fellow needy Libacaonons will find life a little easier for the next five years.

The beneficiaries, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), will enjoy the benefits under the program for five years.

Libacao is a 4th class municipality in Aklan with 25,983 population and 4,962 households, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO) 2000 Census.

The town was included in the target areas of 4Ps based from 2003 Small Area Poverty Estimates (SAEs) of the National Statistics Coordination Board focusing on the top poorest municipalities with 60% poverty incidence nationwide.

With these data, the municipality qualified for 4Ps, a poverty reduction strategy that provides grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition, and education particularly of children aged 0-14.

Presently, Libacao has a total of 2,602 household beneficiaries under the program coming from 24 barangays. For the months of May and June, these beneficiaries received a total of P3,841,000.

Releasing of cash grants started already on July 22, 2009 to 806 household beneficiaries from 12 of the 24 barangays amounting to P1,195,100.00. As second batch recipients however, Rowena and her group were luckier, because they received their cash grants from the President herself.

Libacao Mayor Charito Navarrosa, in his welcome message to President Arroyo and her party, profusely thanked the President for including Libacao in one of her flagship programs - the 4Ps.

"The people of Libacao love you very much. We are very much honored with your visit," Mayor Navarrosa told the President.

Mayor Navarrosa also told PGMA that Libacao's school enrollment has increased, saying that education is a good start for young people in achieving a better life - and to eradicate illiteracy.

Libacao's school children are also recipients of the government's Food for School Program, implemented by the Department of Education and the National Food Authority (NFA), which is another way of encouraging children to attend school daily, as they will get a kilo of rice each for days when they are present.

For the 4Ps, children receiving benefits should attend school regularly too, in order to continuously enjoy their cash grants. If not, the grants will be stopped.

Three provinces in Western Visayas are covered by 4Ps as of July 30, 2009. These are the provinces of Antique, with 15,494 households and P30,103,700.00 total amount released; Iloilo City, 5,907 households, P11,487,300.00 released; and Aklan, with 4,150 households and 6,204,400.00 released.

Aside from Libacao in Aklan, neighboring Madalag town is also a 4Ps covered area, with 1,548 household beneficiaries from 25 barangays getting a total of P2,363,400.